Authorities have identified the man who opened fire outside CrossPointe Community Church in Wayne, Michigan, as 31-year-old Brian Anthony Browning of Romulus. The attempted attack was stopped when a church security guard fatally shot the suspect during the Sunday morning service.
Browning, the son of a church member, had attended services at CrossPointe several times over the past year. According to police, he was experiencing a possible mental health crisis. There is no indication the shooting was linked to any foreign conflicts or international tensions.
The attack unfolded as Browning drove erratically outside the church, then exited his vehicle and began firing an AR-15-style rifle. He was also armed with a semi-automatic handgun and carrying hundreds of rounds of ammunition. A church deacon reportedly rammed Browning with a Ford F-150 pickup truck, giving the church’s armed security team time to engage and neutralize the threat.
Roughly 150 congregants were inside, many of them children attending a vacation Bible school program. Livestream footage captured the moment worshipers were instructed to evacuate as shots rang out outside the building.
WATCH: People fleeing at Crosspointe Community Church in Wayne, Michigan after shooting. pic.twitter.com/jJXi1GXeWR
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Wayne Police say the church’s quick lockdown and rapid response by armed staff prevented what could have been a mass casualty event. One security guard was shot in the leg but is recovering in stable condition following surgery.
Investigators searched Browning’s home in Romulus, where they recovered multiple rifles, handguns, and large quantities of ammunition. Browning had no prior criminal record or previous contact with Wayne Police.
FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino confirmed that federal agents are on-site assisting with the investigation and providing support to local authorities.